LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2178, 17 February 1881, Page 3

LITERATURE.

JUST IN TIME. Dinner was over at last, and Mr Walter Currie, English Commissioner at the npcountry station at Hnttee-Bagh in Northern India, had gone upon the veranda with his wife and his two guests, the colonel and major of the —th light infantry, to enjoy the cool of the evening. On three sides the house was surrounded by its compound, a large enclosed apace, serving the purpose of a courtyard, but the fourth was only separated by a small patoh of garden from the public road, along which a _ number of native women were passing with their little pitchers on their headß. The sight of them naturally turned the conversation upon a favorite subj ct with all Anglo-Indians, viz,, the charaoter of the natives and the best method of dealing with them.

* There's only one way,' said the colonel emphatically. Tell 'em what they are to do, make 'em do it, and thrash 'em well if they don't. That's my way.' * Well. I venture to differ from you there, Colonel,' said Mr Carrie, quietly. The colonel's broad face reddened ominously, and an explosion seemed imminent, when a sudden clamor of angry voices from the road below drew them all to the front of the verandah. The cause of the disturbance was visible at a elance. Two half-drunken English Boldiers, swaggering along the road, had come into violent contact with a native boy who was running past, and one of them, enraged at the collision, bad felled the poor lad to the ground,'and wsb unclasping his own belt with the evident intention of beating him unmerclf ally. * Serve the young wbelp right,' shouted the colonel, rubbing his hands ; "that's just what they all want.'

The other officer, Major Armstrong—popn> latly called Major htrongarm—was a huge, brawny, silent man, whose forto lay In acting rather than in talking. During the whole discussion he had sat like a great bronza statue, never uttering a word ; but at sight of this man ill-using this child he woke up rather startlngly. To leap to the ground twelve feet below, to dart across the garden, to vault over the high stockade beyond, was the work of an instant for the athletic major; and ia another moment he had raised the fallen boy tenderly from the ground, while saying to the f oremoßt soldier, in the low compressed tone of a man who means what he Bays ' Be off with von !'

' And who the deuce are you, shovin' yer nose In where yon ain't wanted ?' roared the infuriated rr.ffian, to whose eyes the major's plain evening dress bore no token of his being an ofhaer. ' Just you—' The sentence was never finiihed.

At the sound of that insolent defiance, Armstrong's sorely tried patience gave way altogether, and the poworful right hand, which had hewed its way through a whole squadron of Sikh cavalry, fell like a sledgehammer upon his opponent's face, dashing him to the ground as if he had been blown from the mouth of a gun. 'Well done, Major Armstrong!' shouted Mr Currie from above ''Xou deserve your name, and no mistake.' At that formidable name the soldier took to his heels at once, and Armstrong, without even looking at his prostrate antagonist, proceeded to examine the hurts of the boy. The latter was sorely bruised in many places, and the blood was trickling freely over his swarthy face; but the little hero still did his best to stand erect, and to keep down every sign of the pain he was endaring. ' Yon're a brave lad, and you'll make a soldier some day,' said the major to him in Hindoostanee. ' Come with me, and I'll see that no one molests you again,' The lad teized the huge brown hand which had defended him so bravely, and kissed it with the deepest reverence; and the Im« walked away together. Six months have o.ime|and gone, and Mr Onrrie'a hospitable house presents a very different spectacle. The pretty garden is trampled into dust and mire, and the bo ies of men and hones are lying thick among the fragments of the half-deatroj ed stockade.

All the windows of the house are blocked up, and through the loop-holed walls ! eer the muzzles of ready rifles, showing h w steadily the besieged garrison stands at bay against the countless enemies, wh'-se d»vk fieice f»ecs and glittering weapons are visible amid thy half-rni!:ed building and matted thiokets all around. The Sepoy rcutiny of 1357 is blazing sky high over Northern India, and olonel Annesley is blockade! in iluttee-Bagh, with a certainty of a hideous death f' r h'mself and every man of the few who are still true to him, unless help comes speedily. Day was just breaking when two men held a whispered conncel in one if the upptr rooms. *No fear of the water rnnning abort,' said Major Armstrong: ' hnf, «ven urw>n half rations the fo..d will be out in four d._\s more.' ' And then we'll just go right at them and cut our way through or die f<>r it I' growled the old oolonel, with a grim smile on his iron face, for, with all his harshness and injustice, Colonel Anneeley was "grit" to the backbone. 'We mnsn't *ay rnything to them about it, though,' added In, with a side glauca at Mr Ourrie, who, standing in the further corner, was anxiously watching the thin, worn face of his sleeping wife. At that moment a loud cheer from below started them both, and the n>xt moment Ismail the "Major's boy," as every one now called him) burst into the room with a glow of unwonted excitement on his dark faoe.

'Sahib,' cried h<», 'there io hope for us yet. A detaohment of Inglcez (English) coming up the other Bank of the river. If we can send word to them as they pass we are saved.'

' How do you know ?' asked the Major, ' lh "«*tb.ePepoyß B *y B ° wh»lo I w«r lying hid among tho bushes yonder,' answered the lad. juuuer, an nni'„t m ° n . g * ho bnshes y° Dd er?' roared the colonel facing round. 'Have yon realhr been m the midst of those ont-throat villain* iSMiS?.** ' BidT Overdid ~' I d i d *' fop Sahib Armstrong's sake ' replied the boy proudly, • because he was good o me. »«•««*

«. ih , 00 ° Io ? el tamed hastily away to tide the flush of not unmanly shame that overspread his hard face, and Armstrong smiled slightly as he heard him mutter—'By Jove I these chaps aren't so black am they re painted, after all.' • But if the troops are beyond the river, how can we communicate with them?' asked Mrs Curne, who awakened by the shouting, had rieen and ,„ ne d the group. ' They may not pass near enough to hear the liriog, and we have no moans of sending theS

'Fear nothing for that, mem-sahib,' (madam), answered the Hindoo boy quietly. I will carry them word myself.' ' Bat how can you possibly do it V cried Mrs Carrie, thunderstruck by the confident tone in whish thw mere child spoke of a task from which the hardiest veteran might well

Listen, Sahib,' answered Ismail ' I will slip out of the house and make a dash into the enemy s line*, as if I was deserting from you to them, and yon can tell your people to fire a shot or two after me with blank cartridges as I go. Then the Sepoys will receive me kindly, and I'll tell them that you re dying of thirst and that they need only wait one day more to be sure of yon, so that they won't care to make another attack. Then, when they have no suspicion, and think I'm quite one of themselves 111 steal away and slip across the river.' ' But you are quite sure the Sepoys will ' 1 believe this, anyhow,' replied the boy, deliberately making a deep gash In hie bare shoulder and staining his white frook with th« blood as he glided from the room, followed by Armstrong. The plan was soon explained to the men below, and a moment later Ismail's dark figure was seen darting like an arrow across the open space in front of the building, followed by a quick discharge of blank cartridges from the marksmen at the loopholes. The sound of the firing drew the attention of the Sepoys, several of whom ran forward to meet him,

In Brother instant ho was in tho midst of them.

I can scaroely see for those bushes,' said Colonel Annesley; 'but he teems to be showing them the wonnd on his shoulde*, and telling them it was onr doing. * At that moment an exultant yell from the enemy came pealing through the air. ' That's the story of our being short of water, for a guinea!' said the major; *it was a very good thought of his. If it only delays their attack two days longer, there may be time for help to arrive yet.' Slowly and wearily the long hours of that fearful day wore on. The heat was soterrifio that even the native soldiers of the garrison could barely hold their own against it, and the handful of Englishmen were almost helpless. Had the Sepoys attacked them, all would have been over at one blow. But hour passed after hour, and there was no sign of an assault. At length, as afternoon gave place to evening, a movement began to show Itself in the enemy's lines. Thin curls of smoke rising above the trees showed that the evening's meal was in preparation, and several figures with pitchers is their hands were »een going towards the river, among whom the colonel's keen eye soon detected Ismail.

'By George!' cried the old soldier, snapping his knee cxultingly, ' that lad's worth his weight in gold. There's his way down to the river right open to him without the least chance of suspicion. Why, he's a born gentleman—nothing less.' Every eye within the walls was now turned anxiously upon the distant group, fearing to see at any moment some movement which wonld show that the trick was detected. How did Ismail mean to accomplish this purpose P Would he plunge boldly into the river, without any disguise, or had be some further stratagem in preparation P Nc one could say. Suddenly, as Ismail stooped to plunge his light wooden dipper into the water, it slipped from his hands and went floating away down stream. A cry of dismay, a loud laugh from th« Sepoys, and then the boy was seen running frantically along the bank and trying in vain to catch the vessel as it floated past • What on earth is he np to P' grunted tho colonel, completely myetified. ' I see!' cried Major Armstrong, triumphantly ; * there's a boat yonder among the reeds, and he's making right for it. Well done, my brave boy.' But at that moment a yell of rage from the Sepoys told that the trick was discovered. Luckily those on the bank bad left their pieces behind, or poor Ismail would soon hare been disposed of; but the alarm instantly brought up a crowd of their armed comrades, whose bullets fell like hail around the boat and its gallant little pilot. ' Let us fire a volley and make a show of sallying out,' said the colonel; 'it'll take their attention from him." But in this he was mistaken.

The first rattle of musketry from behind the house did indeed recall most of Ismail's assailants, but at least a dozen were left, who kept up an Incessant firing, striking the boat again and again. All at once the eolonel dashed his glass to the floor with a frightful oath. Between the two gusts of smoke he had seen the boat turn suddenly over, and go whirling down the river, keel upward. ' There's an end of the poor lad,' muttered the veteran, brokenly. ' G-od bless him for a brave little fellow. And now, old friend, we must just die hard, for there'o no hope left.' ' What the deuce was that ?' exclaimed the colonel suddenly. 'lt looked like a fiery arrow flying past.' ' It's worse than that,' said the major in a low voice, 'The rascals are shooting lighted ships of bamboo on to the roof to set it on fire. Send the women np with buckets to flood the thatch; there's not a moment to lose.' ' I'll go and see to it myself 1' cried Mrs Currie, hastening out of the room. But the power of this new weapon had already become f-tally manifest. The house was an old one, and dry as tinder from the prolonged heat, and as fast as the flames were quenched in one place they broke out in another. When day dawned the fire had already got a fiim hold of one corner of the building, and a crushing discharge was poured npon all who attempted to extinguish it, while the triumphant yell of the human t'gera below told t'aem that they felt sure cf toeir prey. 'ltß all over with us, old fellow,'nU the c lon'l, grasping his old comrade's hand, ' but at least we shall have done gey day.' ' Give me one of your pistols,' whispered Mrs nrrie to her husbind, in a voioe that was not her own. ' I must not fall Snto their hands alive.'

At that moment Vajor Armstrong was teen to ft»rt and bend forward, as jf lietening intently, for he thought—although he could (scarcely believe his Ctars—that he had suddenly caught a faint Bound of distant firing. In another instant he hrard it again, and this time there could be no more doubt, fcx several of the others had ctmght it likewise, and a gleam of hope once morn lighted op their haggard faces and blood.hot eyes. Louder and nosier came the wtlcomo pound, while tse sudd, n terror and confusion visible among the enemy thowed th t they too, were at no loss to guess its meaning.

Then, high above the din rose the well--I'nowu 'Hurrah!' and through the smokocluuds broke a charging lioe of glittering bayonotn and ruddy English faces, sweeping away the oowardly murderers as the tuu ohases the corning u i it. ' That boy's worth his weight in gold,' said Colonel Anneeley, as, a few hours later, he I'stened to Ismail's account of, how he had dived under the boat and kept it between himself and tho Sepoys, that they mn,ht think him drowned 'He's the pluckiest little fellow I've teen, and, although he belongs to tbe major, I'm golug to take my share of helping him on, by Jove 1'